Alternative Pollinators
Alternative Pollinators
With over 20,000 species of bees worldwide (more than mammals and birds combined), honey bees are but a small piece of the pollinator workforce. Sweat bees, mason bees, bumble bees and thousands of other species work diligently in their own environments to acquire nectar and pollen, and in turn, act as the reproductive means for the plants of the world. Here you will find information about mason bees, bumble bees and numerous other important, yet less prominent pollinators. If you are interested in getting involved with alternative pollinators, or simply learning more, an organization in Portland, OR called The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is a wealth of information.
(Blue orchard mason bee, courtesy of http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca)
- Mason Bees (2)
Alternative Pollinators: Native Bees (PDF)
attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/nativebee.pdfThis publication discusses using solitary or native bees as pollinators. Some of the larger groups of bees are discussed, including alkali bees, leafcutter bees, alfalfa leafcutter bees, bumblebees, sweat bees, squash bees, digger bees, orchard mason bees ...
Farming for Bees (PDF)
www.xerces.org/Pollinator_Insect_Conservation/Farming_for_Be...Guidelines for creating native bee habitat on farms by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Farming for Pollinators (PDF)
www.xerces.org/Pollinator_Insect_Conservation/Bee_Farming_Br...Brochure on farming in a way that benefits the local, native pollinators created by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Farming with Pollinators: Increasing Profit and Reducin...
www.xerces.org/Pollinator_Insect_Conservation/Value_of_nativ...If given the right circumstances, native bees can provide all of the pollination a crop needs. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation explains how to do this in this document.
Plan Bee Hives
www.my site is down at the moment.comThey have been hosting Orchard Mason Bees and promoting native pollinators for over 10 years, in the northwest US. We sell Orchard Mason Bees, and nesting materials/shelters built from reclaimed materials. They also enagage in community education efforts ...
Pollinator Friendly Parks (PDF)
www.xerces.org/Pollinator_Insect_Conservation/Pollinator_Fri...Pollinator Friendly Parks: How to Enhance Parks and Greenspaces for Native Pollinator Insects. By the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Pollinator Paradise
www.pollinatorparadise.comDr. Strickler is the owner of Pollinator Paradise, a company that is dedicated to conserve, increase, and where possible to manage native bee populations for crop and wildflower pollination through research, education, and commercial management of native ...
Pollinator Partnership
www.pollinator.orgThe Pollinator Partnership (P2) is the D.B.A. for the 501(c)(3) non-profit Coevolution Institute. P2 works to protect the health of managed and native pollinating animals vital to our North American ecosystems and agriculture.
Pollinators in Natural Areas: A Primer on Habitat Manag...
www.xerces.org/Pollinator_Insect_Conservation/Managing_Habit...Article detailing the habitat needs of native pollinators created by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
The Great Sunflower Project
www.greatsunflower.orgThe Great Sunflower Project is a citizen science project designed to learn about how bees are doing across the North American continent and how the pollination of our garden and wild plants are being affected. They are especially interested in finding out ...
Types of Bees
www.buzzle.com/articles/types-of-bees.htmlRead about Bumblebees, Honeybees, Carpenter bees, Ground bees, Parasitic bees, Digger bees, Sweat bees and some other types of bees.